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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. ground — the earth
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. bank — for money
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. bank — of a river
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. bank — for money
  15. ground — crushed
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. straw — dry grass
  19. snap — to click
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. ground — a position
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. temple — a place of worship

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com